Trace-fastener.



NoQfifil/HU. Patented Nov. 6, I900. J. A. PARSONS.

TRACE FASTENER.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1900.] (No Model.)

In: wonms PETERS co, PHOTO-HTML. WASHINGTON, a. c.

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JAMES A. PARSONS, OF THAYER, IOlVA.

TRACE-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,420, dated November 6, 1900.

A li ati fil d September 29, 1900- .Serial No. 31,630. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. PARSONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Thayer, in the county of Union and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Trace- Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trace-fasteners, and has for its object to provide an improved device of this character which can be readily and conveniently applied to a whiftietree without altering the same and arranged to embrace the adjacent end of a trace, so as to prevent accidental disengagement thereof from the whi'ffiet-ree and at the same time permitting of the forcible removal of the trace when desired. It is furthermore designed to provide improved means for connecting the device to a whiffletree and to arrange the former so as to snugly hug the end of the latter, thereby presenting no projections, so that the whiffletree is comparatively even and not liable to catch in any part of the harness.

rVith these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of a whiffletree having the improved trace-fastener fitted thereto. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a traoe-fastenerconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Corresponding parts are designated by like characters of reference in all of the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 3 thereof, 1 designates the trace-fastener proper, which is formed from a single spring wire or rod bent intermediate of its ends into substantially U shape, having its bowed end deflected laterally. The opposite end of the device is provided with a bowed attaching-plate 2, having the opposite slits or perforations 3 adjacent to the opposite corners at the same end of the plate. From each perforation or slit to the adjacent outer edge of the plate the latter is crimped or fluted, as at 4, so as to form a gutter or groove upon the inner or concaved side of the plate. Opposite each perforation and adjacent to the opposite end of the plate there are provided other perforations 5.

To connect the spring trace-fastener to the plate, the opposite ends of the wire or rod are passed inwardly through the respective grooves and adjacent perforations, thence rearwardly across the exterior of the plate, and then hooked into the rear perforations, the extremities of the spring being bent laterally inward in opposite directions, so as to provide the opposite hooks or fingers 6 to engage with theperforations.

In applying the device to a whifllctree the plate is fitted to the rear side thereof and se cured in place by means of suitable fastenings 7, driven through the respective eorners and into the whiflietree S, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The plate is so situated that the deflected bowed end of the spring may lie against the opposite side of the extremity of the whiffletree or the tracepin 9, which is commonly carried at the extremity thereof. To connect the trace or the trace-hook 10 to the whiflietree, the springfastener is pulled forwardly, so that the end of the trace may be passed through the looped spring and engaged with the end of the whiffletree, after which the spring is released and snaps back against the whittletree, with its bowed extremity embracing the trace and extending at the outer side thereof, whereby the trace is held against accidental displacement from the whiffletree.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the present device is complete in itself and may be conveniently applied to a whiftietree without altering or changing the latter in any particular; also, the spring-fastener embraces the whitfletree and snugly hugs the same, so that said whilfletree is free from projections, which might catch in the harness.

What is claimed is A trace-fastener, comprising a bowed attaching-plate, having opposite perforations from which the plate is crimped or fluted ontwardly to the adjacent edge forming grooves upon the inner or concave side of the plate, and corresponding perforations at the rear of the plate, and a substantially U-shaped spring-Wire fastener, having its opposite ends passed inwardly through the respective gutters and the adjacent perforations, the extremities of the Wire being provided with inwardly-directed hooks or fingers engaged with 10 the rear perforations.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed mysignature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES A. PARSONS.

Witnesses:

R. J. WILSON, WM. OLINGER. 

